I'm not going to bash anyone's opinion, theory, etc......because I absolutely am ADDICTED to this website! However, I have noticed a strong pattern that when a new suspect is highlighted each week, this message board fills up with bold predictions that it's that character as RJ. Partridge, McAllister, Haffner, Michael Kirkland, now Haffner again because of the next episode.

The writers are making it seem completely obvious that the suspect highlighted on the given episode is the one being highlighted, where they make it seem like that's who RJ is......and we're taking the bait!!!!!! We are acting like their little puppets and chasing the most obvious choice week after week, it's crazy.

I think it's time we think outside the box on who RJ is, heck......every week something new pops up that we didn't expect, so it's not going to be the obvious choice.

I'm not saying it's Mashburn, I just put him up because I had to pick someone, but let's stop chasing the weekly obvious choice that changes week after week and take a step back to really see what's going on!

Happy hunting!!!!

I just want to point something out here.  A lot of people are focusing on what Red John looked like or walked like or talked like, or how he holds his tea cup or how his hands look.  This from the episodes where we just catch glimpses of him in disguise or from the back or just his hands.  But I assure you, whoever they used to portray Red John in these scenes is NOT the actor who plays the actual character of Red John.  They just use some guy on the set to fill in the space.  It would be WAY too expensive to get the real actor to do these scenes, not to mention the security issue of allowing everyone on the set to know who Red John is.  So seriously, forget about all of these physical characteristics.  Focus on what kind of person Red John has to be.

I think the list of 7 is Jane's red herring. He don't trust to anyone and he wasn't upset when RJ found out about the names.
Jane is  playing much deeper game and nobody knows the details except Patrick.

I don't see RJ as a member of some secret organization where lot of people knows about his identity.

This should be battle of two amazing minds,not men vs corrupt law enforcement officials.

RJ vs Jane and let the best man win.

In addition to the theory 7021 (http://www.whoisredjohn.com/See-a-theory-Red-John/7021), I can also add this:

The writing seen on the wall in 1.11, could be the beginning of "He is Mashburn", even if it is supposed to be "man/mar", Jared could started forming the top of an "s" which trailed downwards when he died.

Also, he has great ability in understanding people and defines himself as a person who "hates being ignored, cunning, ruthless, hates to lose", exactly like Red John.

In addition to that, Red John's first crime was in 1998. Around 1997, Walter founded Mashburn Avionics, a company for electronic components and weapons, which he sold and became very wealthy, rich.

Jane also suspected him in one of his RJ suspects list, in episode 5.9 (Black Cherry).

It became clear it was an organization several seasons ago,there were signs everywhere that Red john needed followers to have control . Somehow killing is just a hobby, his way to keep balance.
As for the suspects, All of them lack the charisma to be Red john, Red John is proud of himself, he consider himself having a higher path to change the course of things, so his ego won't allow him to hide himself into a lower caracter, and plus he must have the ressources ( Making companies, spying, buying proporties, flying to mexico in a jet.. )  to maintain the ropes in his hands. 
Now you can ask yourself about the charachter that would fit immediatly into this without even thinking of the clues : Walter Mashburn. Even that he had appeared only 2 episodes he is being remembred well !
Walter Mashburn is brilliantly smart, you can see it in the way he talks, the way he choose words, and the way he keeps his smile while maintaining quite a dominant prescence. He have the right Charisma : the one that someone enjoying a cup of tea while listening to Bach, and call PJ And TL Patrick, Teresa.
The scene of Teresa and Mashburn getting laid, his phrases such as " Try and catch me. i hate to lose and i am quite canning. ) He even diagnostiged himself and found a pleasure seeing Patrick trying to analyze him, it is like he was shouting it loud ' I AM RED JOHN"  as they say : the better place to hide something is on the sight of everyone.
Also, Patrick even enjoyed his company more than anyone in the show,  And now his way of changing a subject to an other one as a tool to play the mind of others, rewatch again and see how subtil Mashburn is and that makes him look quite alike him and Patrick, somekind of a symetry, he even got Teresa played well : he got her into his bed. ( No need to talk about a rivalry here between RJ and Patrick, as for getting Teresa, even if it is quite obvious. )

Now let us look at the official clues, they all matches  : 
     - he looks a bit cacausian. 
     - his age
     - his height. 
     - short straight hair. 
     - the voice ( in the video, when he was coming in the boat and he shouted : Patrick )
Here is a video that summarize some highlights in the episode where walter mashburn appeared. : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU8MN9WJghE 

The choice of Mashburn will guarantee that the Mentalist would stay one of the best series for a long time, and also if we got to see him more often into this season. 

And if the writes chose to play it in a commercial way, i would be disapointed same as everyone who doesnt watch Television much and got into being somehow of an addict to the show. If he is in the list : Haffner would be Red John as bad as it sound. 


As for the theories of Ellis mars, CBI Ron or other charachters that are barely remarquable, please enlarge your horizons a bit, we are talking about a criminal mastermind, so Red John must be some one that have some weight as his real charachter.
And i do believe that RJ first was Partridge, but the writers changed it because people were waiting for something more brilliant. Also, the mass of the clues that you are watching are only for the show.

And a last point to make : 

I THANK YOU, YOU ARE THE TRUE WRITERS OF THIS LAST SEASON. THIS IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS WEBSITE : TO SEE EXCPECTATIONS AND TO GO BEYOND THEM.

Now please, feel free to point any lack of logic in my theory, i need anti theories and we should work and develloped the theories here. 

I just want to know when the people from Criminal Minds are going to come over and solve the case...

Just a long shot theory but maybe this Tyger Tyger group R J is just part of it and is not the leader but is protected by the group. I can already see this site turning to who is the leader of Tyger Tyger lol, So ill start it by saying it will be Mashburn! prolly getting ahead of myself but oh well.