Do people in The Mentalist never watch the news? I'm sure Patrick Jane's picture was all over the news when he strangled the most famous serial killer with his bare hands and he escaped the country? How can he go undercover? If this happened in real life we would all remember his face..And they didn't even change his name, he was still Patrick! :P

There's no point looking at details and connections any more, they don't care. It's a Columbo style show now, no deep meaning behind the episodes.