Snuff Film

A Sunff Film is a film or video featuring the actual death murder of a person or persons for the purposes of entertainment, shock, or as a warning to others.

History
In the past, snuff films were simply Urban Legend, and typically featured the simulated rape and usually murder of a female victim. These types of films were distributed as entertainment and were largely ignored. However, in recent years, genuine murder films have been released through various channels--namely the internet--by various individuals or groups.

Radical Islam
Islamic terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda have released several videos in the past years featuring the brutal beheadings of those they consider enemies of Islam. These videos often begin with the victim kneeling in front of a group of armed terrorists while the leader reads a statement condemning the victim's country. The victim is then beheaded with a knife or similar blade, with no regard for "quickness". Such victims include:


 * Nick Berg (USA)
 * Kenneth Bigley (UK)
 * Eugene Armstrong (USA)
 * Jack Hensley (USA)

Mexico
Mexican drug cartels have released several videos very similar to those of Islamic terrorists. In the past, cartel videos simply featured the aftermath of the beheading and/or dismemberment of their victims; typically Mexican Federales, rival drug lords, or the families of failed assassin's.

Ukraine
In 2008, two of three Ukrainian teenagers, known as the Dnepropetrovsk Maniacs were charged with the violent murder of Sergei Yatsenko. In the cell phone-recorded video, Igor Suprunyuck brutally kills Yatsenko with a hammer, while another holds the cell phone and assists the murder with a screwdriver. Throughout the video, the two joke about the man's seemingly impossible will to live. Other videos were found involving the murders of at least 10 other people. The three young men, who were only sentenced to fifteen years in prison, are:


 * Viktor Sayenko
 * Alexander Hanzha
 * Igor Suprunyuck

Criminal Minds

 * Tobias Hankel recorded his murders through his victims' own webcams and distributed them over the internet.


 * Vincent Rowlings recorded his murders through a hidden camera in his eye glasses. He may have done this because his mother's own murder was video-taped.