I was watching the pilot and the focus on the hands shake between the Dr and PJ was like the light in the dark.
He's a psychologist, he's smart and has a soft voice.

He's on the Jane's list of 7 too.

http://thementalist.wikia.com/wiki/Jane%27s_List_of_Suspects

Just a guess. But look at the pilot and think like you would finish with the same guys you started.

Hello all!  Here me out!

Its a great move by Heller, everyone on the CBI Team thought this guy was Red John in the Pilot episode but Patrick...why ? Because the smiley face was off

He stun gunned two people
Gutted the woman
Is the right height
The right age
Had short straight hair in 2008
Was bald in season 3 so he fits the profile for next week
Was in the pilot episode (what all you Partridge fans are still hanging onto)
He's on the list (the real list of 10 in Patrick's notebook)

Worked for Oaks Wellness Ctr
Psychotherapy
Sports therapy
Cosmetic Surgery

Had books on Personality and Deviance
Half the profits went to Africa (the greater good)
Patrick was watching TV about a tiger catching its prey

Then a note from Red John appears  "Why cant you catch me you poor sad man"
When Jane catches Wagner he uses the same "Poor sad man line"  Symmentry?

Wagner apologized about the letter, and his family

Got to hand it to Heller, Jane may have caught him in the first episode and we forgot about him

Its the percentage play now, we are down to 1 guy Bertram who most think is not Red John...So either we have a guy coming back from the dead, or we got a guy that can get in and out of prison with corrupt law enforcement

Guy in the Following got out of prison
Elias in Person of Interest gets in / out with ease

This guy can hypnotize
This guy can kill
This guy thinks hes killng for the greater good....

Its a genius move by Heller, the show could go on and he can keep adding layers upon layers to further distance himself from the first episode....So now he's got people like me studying Ron or who is in the background....Or like last week...that coroner with Cho was the same coroner he questioned with Rigbsy back after Jane killed Timothy Carter...Its all a waste of time.....Go back to the beginning...Its all right there

If I'm right (doubtful)  I can't take the credit....Miran_brah along with the other posts about Wagner led me to him

Thanks for your time

The voice in the promo is a perfect match to him, and if you listen closely to his voice in Ball of Fire, when he goes higher pitched, he sounds a lot like the normal Red John voice (the one done by Simon Baker). 

I'm not saying he's Red John, i'm just saying it's his voice.

Hello everyone,

Let me start by this: I was sooo dumb, blind and foolish and not aware of who RJ is until I saw the Preview of S06 E08. The Mentalist is for soooo long was my top favourite show and within the last months i started hating it for those eternally long turns and twists and the total confusion. I am happy to finally found out who RJ really is, and it is grandiose I can promise you.

As an "introduction" to the next weeks episode "Red John" you can all go back to the Pilot and watch the Pilot again. Please consider Dr. Linus Wagner as the real Red John and follow the about 25 MINUTES of Patrick Jane - Dr. Linus Wagner dialogues. It struck me sooo hard, never ever did PJ talk to somebody so intense, honest, long and overwhelming. They have such a great chemistry. Enjoy this so you can take this last final waiting for RJ a little better!

I think RH is Dr. Linus Wagner. I just watched the PILOT (1st Episode) of the Mentalist again and Dr. Wagner hast the strangest voice and 100% fits the voice AND APPEARANCE from RJ in the preview of S06 E08 'Red John' which you can see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z77P7ebT0QI

Before you down-vote this please take notice of the following clues/facts:

In the very first Episode Dr. Wagner played the MAIN role as the bad guy. He ON PURPOSE acted out a grizzly double murder just "textbook Red John" as Cho said it, and even Brett Partridge said "classic Red John here". Patrick Jane was the ONLY person who had any doubt that it was the real RJ. Because the smiley was on the "wrong wall" and Theresa said: "maybe RJ is trying something new or making a mistake". THAT was the only reason why Dr. Linus Wagner was NOT OFFICIALLY RED JOHN. Because of this small "mistake".

I think he did this on purpose, so that he gets in prison and AS RED JOHN (with his many followers) gets in and out there easily. Dr. Linus Wagner was not only locked in prison but LOCKED OUT OUF OUR MINDS (and Patrick's mind as well). That is sooo smart and ingenious.

Dr. Linus Wagner and Dr. Randolf shared a private medical center. Wagner was the "Psychotherapist" and Randolf did everything else. 

In the Pilot Patrick Jane chases Dr. Wagner after "RJ" put a letter under his door. He truly thinks it is RJ he is chasing.

I will not write down everything that I noticed, but please do watch the Pilot again and understand/ feel the chemistry between Patrick and Dr. Wagner. 

He ate Jane and regurgitated him out as Red John but with the mind of Wagner(because Jane caught him in the pilot) 

In a Orkut community, post date 05/11/2011, I wrote that I wouldn't still bet on Dr. Linus Wagner ( eps 1x01 "Pilot " and 3x08 " Ball of Fire ). Justifications:
1 - He has appeared twice in the series, like says B. Heller;
2 - It's stuck, so far from suspicion, but he could still communicate and to transmit orders due to their privileges as detainee;
3 - His fanatical followers would mostly former patients or members of stray Visualize Self-Realization Center, i. e., potentially anyone. Examples: O'Laughlin, Rebecca, Brett (forensic expert), Minelli, Bertram, Mashburn and all other usual suspects.
4 - Maybe some past disagreement between Dr. Wagner and Brett Stiles has generated a split in the sect, and the fanaticism of certain members weighed in choosing whom to follow. Brett Stiles (same name as the expert, just coincidence?) left in the air that he knew "a lot more than Patrick and Red John ", then it is possible that he is the one who chose to remain on the pacific side of the activity and RJ, by otherside, would be distorted, eager to shape the world through their will, using useful idiots to form social connections and act violently.
5 - Scenarios inspired by a mix of Psi, Masonry x Scientology, Legal and Police Bureaucracy;

Anyway, it is clear that Bruno Heller, to create a series that addresses issues with hypnosis, PNL, religion, "mind powers", persuasion, influence, etc. are trying to show all possible points of view of the subject, from academic to the pseudo-religious fanaticism. As some have said , the villain of the story is just a backdrop for everything that can be explored and known, making even those who do not like the subject remains watching the series due to its mysteries and curiosities.

Not really a theory, but just want to ask
why do you think he is not an option?