It makes sense now why Kirkland would ask people if they recognize him because I believe Kirkland thought his brother is Red John.  That is why he wanted to kill him on his own. Bob Kirkland was very sadistic himself-imagine what his brother is like.  Surely if it was his brother anyone who has actually seen Red John would think it was Bob Kirkland.  It is not surprising at all that various law enforcement people would all want to bag the Red John case for themselves, or that there would be a renegade group that uses their own methods to deal with criminal cases.  I concur with Red Dragon's theories around the biblical and William Blake references in the show-to that end I think that Bret Stiles has some connection to the murders and that he killed or had killed his own son, Brett Partridge as a sacrifice.   I also believe that Brett Partridge said Tyger,Tyger to Lisbon because she is part of the conspiracy.  I don't believe that the conspirators are working with Red John, but they are inadvertently leaking information.