Michael Kirkland is Red John.

1. Red John did not save him after his abusing father's death, Stiles did.

2. He entered Visualize and worked at the Red Barn. He did the first killings there. He was 18-22 at that time.

3. Stiles knows Red John identity (we know this for sure and it has been confirmed in several episodes).

4. Michael can utilize Bob's face to act inside FBI/CBI without being seen as an intruder.

5. He fits Rosalind's description (but I never really believed Rosalind's words). 

6. He could be left handed and we have no proof against this... most suspected on the list are right handed so they could be excluded. Only McAllister is left handed.

7. Having an abusing father is almost a good excuse to be a serial killer in hollywood ;)

8. We cannot exclude that Jane and Michael shook hands in the past: Jane may have thought it was an encounter with Bob but it was Michael instead

9. It would be an "acceptable lie" from Heller if Michael was Red John and he was not on the list. Because an identical person to him was in. Let's say that "a Kirkland" was in.

10. Michael was killed by RJ? His body was never found...

11. Bob probably really believes that his brother was killed by RJ. But he may have now the real suspect that his brother IS Red John. That's way he always ask if they recognize him (=his brother). If his brother was killed a long time ago, why would people connected to RJ know him for sure?

Regards
gheba