I watched the 3rd episode yesterday and I knew when I come here everyone will be accusing sheriff McAllister. I don't think it's McAllister. Next week there is going to be a Kirkland episode and then everyone will be accusing Kirkland.

I still have my suspect. Sticking to it.

Sheriff McAllister, although acting suspicious and having his 'fear of heights' does not seem like a likely suspect if you think beyond the possibility of having him revealed as Red John. It would be quite disappointing to say the least.

I have tried wrapping my mind around the meeting between him, Bertram and Reede and the only thing I can think of as an explanation is that they were having a meeting about the Red John situation. When they say that it's Bertram's job to know what Patrick knows I think they just mean that Bertram is ultimately responsible for Patrick's doings in the CBI. 

I want to go through Patrick's list again and use hints given by Bruno Heller in interviews as well. Please note that I personally do not believe everything that he says as he can't reveal the real Red John at the risk of losing ratings. So going down the list of 7:

1. Brett Partridge - Bruno Heller said he is dead. (He CAN'T say Brett is alive as this will automatically scream suspicion). Why was Brett Partridge still alive when Lisbon got to the house? We never see his body, and never hear of his murder being investigated.

Brett has always been suspicious. At first it was said that he was too young to have been in visualize way back in 1988, but the actor is actually old enough to have been able to kill in 1988. He fits the profile (the way Red John was described). He is a wild card, he is not my main suspect but I won't be surprised if he turns out to be Red John. 

In the first few seasons, Brett Partridge would also show up at all the fake Red John murders, almost like he is sizing up the 'competition'. Then there are the, what I like to call 'coincidences' such as William Blake's painting "brace of Partridge". Also, Brett whispers Tyger Tyger when he "dies".

There are a lot of unanswered questions pertaining to him. His voice could be pulled off as belonging to Red John. 

2. Gale Bertram - Bruno has never spoken about him, but in the writing of the series we have seen many subtle eerie signs of him being linked to Red John perhaps.  

He certainly has influence and 'friends' in the FBI. He has access to all parts of the CBI building. Now for something everyone has possibly forgotten about, Gale Bertram is the ONLY suspect on the list of 7, that was also on La Roche's list of 4 in season 3! This places HUGE suspicion on him IMO. 

He is old enough to be Red John, his profile and voice does not match that of what we know about Red John, but that can be explained away easily.  He has recited William Blake poetry out of the blue. He acts suspicious when told that Partridge was murdered. 

This man seems to be somehow involved. When Patrick Jane met with him at the end of season 3, it also seemed like he was in fact uncomfortable and he was acting suspicious. However, why was it necessary for Patrick Jane to give Bertram advice on how to play poker? Was this a smoke screen, or does Bertram really not have what it takes to be Red John? 

3. Reede Smith - Reede has not been focused on much over the last few episodes or in fact ever. If he turned out to be Red John, it would really be a case of "random selection" as there is at present no possible back story for him being Red John. His build does not match the description, he has not been in the series much nor from the beginning, and that brings me back to Bruno Heller saying "Red John has been there from the start".  Reede is an unlikely candidate.

4. Bob Kirkland - From the list he fits the clues and profile. He has been there from the beginning (we see him shake hands with Patrick Jane in the 'prequel' episode), he acts strangely as he has stolen information from Patrick's office and murdered the man in the hospital. He is of average build with short straight hair. 

He seems as though he loathes Patrick. He is old enough to have been in Visualize. But his demeanor suggests that his vendetta is not with Patrick Jane, but rather with Red John, which means he himself is not Red John.

He seems to be looking for Red John himself. I would exclude him from actually being Red John. 

5. Sheriff McAllister - Certainly old enough to be Red John. We meet him in the first season so he has been there from the beginning. His voice and build do not strictly match that of what we know about Red John, but as previously said this is easy to explain away. He knows Gale Bertram and Reede Smith personally so he has powerful friends. He has a clear fear of high places as it was reported Red John has.

But again, he seems very random. Would be disappointing to have him be Red John. Would however not be surprising to see him being involved.  

6. Ray Haffner - This guy is so random to me, I really don't expect him to be Red John.  He fits the description of Red John, he is in Visualize, he seems to be creepy and have a mean streak. His voice does not match but that does not mean much. He is a good whistler, this is apparently important. He has however not been in the mentalist from the start. He is a recent character. I believe that there was an idea of who Red John would be from the start, and he does not seem likely. I can't effectively exclude him just because it would disappoint, but if I think logically and look at the fact that the 'show must go on', I can't see prolonged interest in the show being maintained if he was Red John.

7. Bret Stiles - Yes he has acted very strange, yes Visualize obviously has some part in Red John's life and yes Bret has more than enough power to be Red John. But he is quite the old man, and just about always has an entourage with him. He is a public figure. His voice and build does not match Red John's, to the point where it is noteworthy.

Bret knew Red John or still does. This is actually quite obvious to me. He has definite manipulative skills. He basically put Van Pelt in a trance.

I don't have too many good points against Stiles apart from the fact that they say Red John WAS IN Visualize. Bret Stiles created Visualize. I think we should concentrate on things Bret Stiles reveals like the fact that he knew Patrick's father. And his organization destroying evidence of Red John's membership.

He is very obviously tied to Red John.

That is my roundup. I don's necessarily believe someone on the list IS Red John. I have another suspect in mind. A big clue in my opinion rests with the fact that Red John killed in 1988 and then it is reported that he stopped and became active 10 years later for the first time again. 

There must be something to explain that.  

Please let me know what your thoughts are in the comments.