The_mentalist_1x02_capelli_rossi_e_nastro_argen... May 2026

Portrayed by Xander Berkeley, the local Napa sheriff first appears here. He famously loses to Jane in a game of rock-paper-scissors six times in a row, establishing their early rivalry. In a major series spoiler, McAllister is later revealed in Season 6 to be the serial killer Red John .

The CBI team is called to a vineyard in Napa Valley after the body of a red-haired teenager, Melanie O'Keefe, is found. The_Mentalist_1x02_Capelli_Rossi_E_Nastro_Argen...

(Italian title: "Capelli Rossi e Nastro Argento" ) is the second episode of the first season of The Mentalist . It is particularly significant for long-term fans as it introduces Sheriff Thomas McAllister , a character who becomes pivotal to the series' central mystery. Plot Summary Portrayed by Xander Berkeley, the local Napa sheriff

Jane goes behind Lisbon's back to set up an undercover operation using Grace Van Pelt as "bait" at a local restaurant. The CBI team is called to a vineyard

While Agent Teresa Lisbon suspects Melanie’s drug-dealer boyfriend, Patrick Jane believes the death was an accidental result of a bungled kidnapping by a serial predator attracted to redheads.

This episode marks early romantic tension between the two, often referred to by fans as "Rigspelt," which continues throughout the series.