After seeing the prevue photo for episode 1 of Season 6 with Jane and Lisbon and Bret Partridge standing under some kind of a tent, I have changed my mind about Partridge being Red John. He may be a disciple of RJ, but his slouching stance and standoffish personality, in my mind, could not attract devoted followers. I now think that Ray Haffner has more of the right kind of personality to be RJ.
I've posted before, you can see my theory here: http://www.whoisredjohn.com/See-a-theory-Red-John/4185
I've used Rosalind's description before, but lately I've been thinking why hasn't Jane himself taken it into consideration? He has boiled down his list of suspects to only seven suspects based on what? well definitely Rosalind's description is not one of them, otherwise Bertram wouldn't be on the list. So I can respect those who doubt Rosalind's description. But some folk say stuff that are downright nonsense, like it wasn't Red John who saved Jane in the second season finale, or that Red John is not a person but an organization, or Red John is Jane. If you're going to be skeptical of everything then there's no point in constructing theories, since there's no data to back your theory. There are some facts we cannot deny, like Red John being somehow connected to Visualize, or him being a charismatic leader.
Despite all this I still think it's Haffner. Think of the suspects in terms of a scale from the most expected to the least expected. My experience tells me it's always someone in the middle, someone most people wouldn't think of so that the show can preserve the element of surprise. On the other hand it shouldn't be disappointing either. The best choice for the middle suspect is Haffner. Just think of it for a moment. Think of the person Rosalind, Miriam, Rebbecca, and Lorelei fell for. Think of the charismatic leader who gave orders to Todd Johnson, Craig O'Laughlin, Timothy Carter, Jared Renfrew, Sheriff Hardy, and possibly Hardy's father. Think of all you know about what he's done. This blank image you've been imagining since the first season doing what he does, replace it one by one with the seven suspects. Trust your gut feeling, who's the guy that fits this image? For me it's Haffner. I challenge you to go through all this and still claim it's Partridge!
I believe that Ray Haffner is Red John, which would explain why Bret Stiles had the info he did on RJ. The main reason for my thinking this is that it was revealed in the "Red Barn" episode that Ray is a member of Bret Stile's Visualize cult. Early on I thought that Bret Stiles was RJ. It's obvious that Bob Kirkland is a disciple of RJ and I believe that other suspects may be followers of RJ also.
Haffner's conversation with Cho in "Little Red Book" and his conversation with Lisbon at lunch in "The Red Barn" were to some extent indicative of Haffner's true nature.
In his conversation with Cho he first reminded him of Rigsby working downstairs as Security, somehow pointing out how Cho might end up the same way if he didn't cooperate with him. Then he started asking weird questions like : "You think Jane's smarter than me?". I remember at that point I was surprised even though no single soul back then had suspected Haffner to be Red John. Of course at the end Cho turned his back on him, but it's the manipulative manner in which Haffner was trying to lure Cho into spying on Jane that interests me the most.
In his conversation with Lisbon at lunch in front of the State House he acted even more artful than he did with Cho. Trying to persuade Lisbon to quit the CBI, constantly bombarding her with all the sad possibilities she might face in the future if she stayed at the CBI, especially Jane dropping out; and the happy ones if she joined him.
The peculiar thing is that he's ever acted even remotely like this in front of Jane. Actually he's done quite the opposite, he let Jane ridicule him.
Haffner is neither too far-fetched nor too obvious. He's a perfect choice.
The fact that bruno heller has said:
RJ is in the list of 7 suspects
Let's get to the main point. When the woman in season1 finale was killed, there was a smiley face on the sky. They trace back, know that RJ solutions employed to wrote the smiley face. They found Rosalind Harker. She refuses to say to Lisbon and Jane. She goes to the other room. It makes Jane to go after her. She opened the door to make Jane saw the smiley face thought she had information about RED JOHN and then said RJ is under 6 feet and blah blah blah. She's making Jane to believe in her fake info. That's why RJ didn't kill her.
Height of the suspects
Bret Stiles 5' 8 and1/2"
Gale Bertram 6'3"
Ray Haffner 6'1"
Reede Smith 6'3"
Bob Kirkland 5'9"
SheriffThomas McAllister 6'
Brett Partridge 5'11"
So, we need to do the opposite of Rosalind Harker's description.
That leaves
1.Gale Bertram
2.Ray Haffner
3.Reede Smith
4.SheriffThomas McAllister
Reede Smith is too fat to be RJ as we seen in season2 finale
Leaves
1.Gale Bertram
2.Ray Haffner
3.SheriffThomas McAllister
Let's get back to the RED RIGHT HAND episode. Before Rebecca was poisoned, she smiled. Who could make she smiled if it wasn't Red John? So how can a sheriff be in CBI?
LEAVES ONLY
1.GALE BERTRAM
2.RAY HAFFNER
When Lorelei said'I am so suspicious why didn't you guys became friends the first time you shook hands?.' That means RJ should be very close at first with Patrick. And there is another evidence. In season1 finale the handle of the cup went on the left. Means RJ likes to use his left hand. In season3 finale, the handle of the cup on Gale Bertram's desk went at right. On the contrary Ray Haffner use his left hand to pick up the phone in season4 ep.2.
IT MEANS RAYMOND HAFFNER IS RED JOHN, THE SERIAL KILLER!
It was said that the first Red John's smile was made by a boy. Red John is about 40-50 years old. From this we can exclude from the list Bret Stiles (he's 60-70 years old). The blind girlfriend of Red John said he has good physical strenght, but he's not very robust. And from this we can exclude Reede Smith. The last suspect I exclude is Bob Kirkland: in the various episodes authors made him too malicious, and so suspectable. Brett Partridge is too young. The remaining suspect for me are: Haffner, Bertram, and McAllister. Among this three I choose Haffner.
most people (who watch The Mentalist) think Red John is someone who has perfection 100%, or think his smartness is perfect 100%. Red John is not perfect, or his smartness is not perfect. Red John can absolutely be one of those 7 suspects (or not one of them, unlikely). the story of The Mentalist must have the end, Red John must be able to get caught (or killed). if Red John is a perfect person, he'll never be able to get caught (or killed), so The Mentalist will never end, i dont plan to watch The Mentalist till the world ends (do you?). Red John is not perfect 100%, he got some ignorance or foolishness, he can be fool at something, one of those 7 suspects can absolutely be Red John (or not one of them, unlikely), Parick Jane will find out and get him!
i like thinking Ray Haffner is Red John, i agree with people and their theories who say Ray Haffner is Red John (im just 80% sure)
