At this point, it may be television's best kept secret.

But it will be revealed before 2013 flips to 2014.

Indeed, at today's Television Critics Association press tour discussion, CBS addressed the homicidal elephant in The Mentalist's room and promised that the identity of Red John “will be revealed by the end of this calendar year.”

Look for the list to be narrowed by one on The Mentalist Season 6 premiere, which airs on September 29 and which will feature Lauren Stamille as a guest star.

She will appear as the wife of a murder victim whose body is found after two years after the man was reported missing.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.