Long time Mentalist fan here. Hear me out before you vote! And be sure to read my last paragraph, as this is not a point that has been brought up already and I think you may agree even if you don't like Mashburn for RJ :)

Overall,
I still don't buy Heller's "trust the list" nonsense. Sure maybe "a"
list but not the list of 7. He has mislead us with his selective use of words
many times. I also don't believe we can trust any of the women's
accounts of RJ. I think people on here are really taking these two
things too literally. The mentalist does not 'do' literal people!
There is ALWAYS a twist, or someone screwing with Patrick's head
(usually RJ and his followers)...and the writer's screwing with ours
(need I remind anyone of Timothy Carter - and his weirdo family). And do we actually believe the women who have been RJ's lovers to be trustworthy of providing major clues to identify him?

As
another commenter wrote, it has to be someone we are somewhat familiar
with to do justice in one episode and not have people freaking out about
it. Anyone from the list of 7 is WAY TOO PREDICTABLE (dead or
not). The twin stories or Jane's dad/past Carnival entanglements,
although creative, are too far fetched for a
mentalist plot if you ask me...maybe they will contribute to the WHY of
the RJ theory in the end but they won't be the actual RJ/ring leader.
While I don't actually like Mashburn's character for RJ (not enough air
time) .... and I am still hoping Stiles has some play in all of this as
he's an amazing actor.... Mashburn's the only one who actually makes
sense when you look at personal characteristics of the RJ character,
that we as an audience know to be true. If Bret Stiles is actually dead, the only other person that has even
remote characteristics of RJ is Mashburn, who (in all fairness to
Heller) is on the 'other' list that was not released to the team
(which I agree with others who have said Patrick would NEVER release the
real list to the team). The Sheriff, Haffner, Reede, Bertrum, Virgil and
Patridge even are such boring and mundane characters who would never in
real life be RJ - followers or BA members for sure, but not RJ. Really, anyone from the
list of 7 would be such a disappointment to viewers at this point and
Heller knows it.  Plus not at all realistic when looking at character traits in a series! There had better be a twist or this is not a mentalist
storyline.

And for my most important Mashburn evidence ... this is of up most importance ... Mashburn is the only male character I'd actually sleep with other than PJ himself. You laugh ahahha .. but we know Lisbon felt the same.... and he is the ONLY person whom she has slept with on the entire show!
No average county Sheriff, desperate detective (Haffner), obese weirdo
with small eyes and puffy face (Reede), or worst of all - nerdy half
child with no social skills (Patridge) would ever be capable of seducing
all those educated, beautitful young women! I'm telling you Mentalist
fans, the only man that got in all those ladies pants was someone somewhat good looking, good with women, charming and charismatic.
Take any educated, successful, beautiful woman, describe their
appearance and characteristics and ask her who she'd go for. Haffner is
good looking sure but ppl generally don't like him and he gives off
major "DESPERATO" vibes which mostly just make real women run, such as
Lisbon (and myself if I was in the Mentalist of course). If any of you think that anyone on those lists, other than PJ or Mashburn would make women drop their panties on a dime, ya'll smokin' Rob Fords crack.

So I know you're all attached to 'your RJ' but you have to admit that the personal characteristics of most of the main characters discussed here do not = RJ capabilities.
I loved Stiles sooo much for RJ or at least closely related to in some
way, but it's just not going to be a reality is it (tear). So alas I
will be disappointed with the red sweater wearing, boat driving Mashy.
And for once Heller will speak the direct truth, and I will be disappointed!