SUDDENLY, I am thinking it's NOT Bret Stiles.  I just posted about the symbolism I found in 4 of the 7 suspects names:  BRET stiles, BRETT partridge, roBERT kirkland and Gale BERTram -- two BRETS and TWO BERTS -- as in "BRETON" -- a place in France known for King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.   Also, Stiles=High place, Partridge=Noble, Bertram=Knight and Kirkland=Church Land.  BUT I am changing my theory that Bret Stiles is head of the Red John operation or that ANY of these guys have anything to do with RJ.  After looking at the name meanings of RJ's accomplices, I think it may be something much more personal and insidious than the cult leader and his followers. It may involve Grace Van Pelt as "Van Pelt" means son of one of who cures animal hide, a departure from the noble meanings of the other CBI names.  


We know that Red John used alias: ROY (RED HAIRED) TAGLIAFERRO (TO CUT or IRON CUTTER). 
Some of the other character names:
Rosalind (WEAK or TENDER) Harker (TO LISTEN)

Lorelei (SEA SIREN: who leads men to their deaths) Martins (WAR or God of War Mars)

Orville (SPEAR) Tanner (ONE WHO CURES ANIMAL HIDES)

Dumar or Du (TO BECOME) mar (to DAMAGE or SPOIL/also SEA, or WAR) Tanner -- changes to "Hardy" 
Rebecca (TO TIE OR ENSNARE) Anderson (A MALE)

Craig (CLIFF OR ROCKS) O'Laughlin (LAKE)  

Brenda (SWORD) Shettrick (not sure, but "she trick" is obvious)

Ron (RULER) Deutch (means: OF GERMAN)

Anthony (PRICELESS) Gupta (SECRET)

Miriam (BITTER) Gottlieb (LOVE OF GOD)

Julia (YOUTH) Howard (GUARDIAN)

Jason (HEALER OF) Lennon (LOVERS)

Timothy and Sally Carter (CARRIER OF GOODS)


Gabe (GOD'S ABLE BODIED ONE) Mancini (LEFT HANDED/SINISTER MAN)

Todd (A FOX) Johnson (son of JOHN, which means GRACE or MERCY OF GOD)

James (TO TAKE THE PLACE OF ANOTHER: SUPPLANTER) Panzer (german for: MILITARY TANK)

Malcom & Sandra Boatwright (BOATMAKER)

Linus (FLAX) Wagner (WAGON MAKER)

Erica (FLOWER) Flynn (RED)

Morgan (BRIGHT or SEA) Tolliver (english version of TALIAFERRO: or IRON CUTTER)

Tommy (TWIN) Volker (german for ARMY) 
Walter (RULER OF AN ARMY) Mashburn (by the MARSHLANDS) 

These names all seem to speak for themselves, either literally or ironically




Then there's the CBI people:


Madeleine (HIGH or TOWER) Hightower (DWELLER NEAR THE TOWER)

J. J. (what does this stand for? ) LaRoche (ROCK or DWELLER ON THE ROCK)

Patrick (NOBLEMAN) Jane (GIFT FROM GOD)

Theresa (TO HARVEST or TO REAP) Libson (PLACE NAME in PORTUGAL; LIB means both FREEDOM and GOD'S PROMISE)

Virgil (unknown) Minelli (NEAR A RIVER, IN SPAIN & PORTUGAL)
Kimball (WARRIOR CHIEF) Cho (BEAUTIFUL)

Wayne (CRAFTSMAN or WAGON MAKER) Rigsby (by a RIDGE)

Grace Van (SON OF) Pelt (ONE WHO CURES ANIMAL HIDES)

Susan (LILY or FLOWER) Darcy (DARK)

Alexa (DEFENDER OF MAN) Shultz (german for: OVERSEER or SHERIFF/HEAD OF VILLAGE)

Luther (german for: FAMOUS/ARMY) Wainwright (WAGON MAKER and REPAIRER)

Kristina (FOLLOWER OF CHRIST) Frye (FREE MAN)

CBI RON (RULER) -- no last name?
Stephen (CROWN) Hannigan (SON OF A LITTLE SLOW MAN)

I wonder if there's a connection between Van Pelt and Tanner, whose names have the exact same meaning


The 7 SUSPECTS:

Gale (GUST or WIND) Bertram (KNIGHT)

Robert (FAMOUS) Kirkland (CHURCH LAND)

Bret (from BRETON) STILES (HIGH)

Brett (from BRETON) PARTRIDGE (NOBLE)

Sheriff Thomas (TWIN) Mcallister (DEFENDER OF MAN)

Reede (RED) Smith (METAL WORKER)

Ray (PROTECTOR or GRACE) Haffner (german for POTTER)


Um, these names are all quite noble but for Reede Smith, which doesn't sound good at all.



There are definitely some repeating patterns in all of these names.  Hmm....