If Partridge is not dead, then two (three including Jane) main characters of The Mentalist would completely suck at their job. Kimball Cho stood in front of Partridge´s dead body, even took a picture of his shoulder. Teresa Lisbon was next to Partridge whe he passed away. She could not tell the wounds were real? Partridge´s blood was all over her face. (Patrick Jane was too at the crime scene. So he was fooled too?)
Thinking about this scene, Van Pelt bugged all their phones. Lisbon checked on the tablet screen that Partridge was the only suspect there. Who else is on the list? Whose phone is not bugged? Michael Kirkland´s! =)