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A contract killer or hired assassin is an individual who commits murder for compensation, whether monetary or otherwise. In U.S. federal criminal law, there is no separate statutory offense specifically labeled as being a "contract killer" or "hired assassin." Instead, such conduct is prosecuted under general murder statutes, with the financial motive potentially serving as an aggravating factor in sentencing or as evidence of premeditation.

Under federal law, murder is defined in 18 U.S.C. § 1111 as the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought. This statute distinguishes between first-degree murder, which includes killings that are premeditated and deliberate, and second-degree murder. A killing carried out pursuant to a paid arrangement would typically constitute first-degree murder due to the premeditation inherent in accepting a contract to kill. The commercial nature of the act demonstrates planning and intent, key elements of first-degree murder.

The concept of a contract killer features prominently in true crime narratives and popular culture, where such individuals are often portrayed as professional criminals operating within organized crime networks or as independent operatives. In reality, prosecutions of contract killings often involve charges not only against the killer but also against the person who solicited the murder, under conspiracy statutes or murder-for-hire provisions.

Federal jurisdiction over contract killings may arise in several circumstances: when the murder occurs on federal property, when it involves interstate commerce or travel, when the victim is a federal official or witness, or when it falls under specific federal statutes addressing murder-for-hire schemes. In such cases, prosecutors may charge both the hired killer and the person who arranged the killing with conspiracy to commit murder, substantive murder charges, and potentially other federal offenses depending on the circumstances of the case.