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Virgil Minelli was CBI Special Agent in Charge and as such Lisbon's superior throughout the seasons 1 and 2 until he retired in the season 2 episode His Red Right Hand. He was also the Director of the CBI, revealed in the flashback episode Red Dawn. He was the chief from about 2001 to 2009. He succeeded as a director by Gale Bertram and as a chief of Sacramento's office by Madeleine Hightower.

Lisbon reports to him, and he reports to the Attorney General. He behaves in quite a paternal way towards Lisbon at times. He has mentioned an ex-wife, and a sister who lives in Hawaii.

In the fifth season episode Red Dawn, a flashback to Patrick's first encounter with the CBI in 2004, Minelli is already in charge of Lisbon and her team. To appease Patrick - who had been hit by one of Lisbon's colleagues, Hannigan - and avoid a law suit he agrees to let Patrick look into the Red John case files and urges Lisbon to please Patrick. After Patrick solved the first case for the CBI, Minelli hires Jane as an independent consultant. Later on he receives a call from FBI agent Alexa Shultz who informs him that Patrick was hospitalized in an insane asylum during the previous year. Minelli finally agrees to inform the FBI on Red John's case.

Minelli retired following the murders of Sam Bosco and his team, all committed by Red John's accomplice Rebecca.

In the third season episode Jolly Red Elf, Patrick asks Minelli, who has developed somewhat of a drinking problem, for help in finding out what J.J. LaRoche knows about the death of Todd Johnson. Using various favors and back channels, Minelli gets LaRoche's short list of suspects for him. Partly as a way to say thanks, Patrick sets him up for a date with a woman from AA.

Behind the Scenes[]

It has been speculated by some fans that Minelli is Red John, and he is in Jane's List of Suspects. But he had alibi in the murders of Jared Renfrew and the hooker (uncorroborated) and Maya Plaskett.

Trivia[]

  • In Russet Potatoes, it is mentioned that Patrick Jane hypnotised Minelli into quitting smoking.
  • According to a character list from the Pilot script, Minelli was originally named "RJ Patel".

Appearances[]

TheMentalist
Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 #
One - - G R - - - R - R R - - - - R - - - - - - R N/A 7
Two R R R - - R R R - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N/A 6
Three - - - - - - - - - R - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
Five - - - - G - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - N/A 1
Total 15


Special Agent in Charge
Virgil Minelli (Retired) • Madeleine Hightower (Retired) • J.J. LaRoche (†) • Luther Wainwright (†) • Gale Bertram (†) • Teresa Lisbon (Resigned)
Lisbon's Team
Teresa LisbonWayne RigsbyKimball ChoGrace Van PeltPatrick Jane (Consultant) • Stephen Hannigan (Transferred)
Bosco's Team
Sam Bosco (†) • Rebecca Anderson (†) • Marlon Hicks (†) • Mark Dyson (†) • Nick Martinez (†)
Haffner's Team
Ray Haffner (†) • Rick TorkAnthony NiskinEd Masterson
Other Members

Brett Partridge (†) • Roy Carmen (Arrested) • Brenda Shettrick (Arrested) • Oscar Ardiles (†) • Tamsin WadeCBI KarlCBI RonVint Molinari
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