John Childs reportedly killed six people, including a 10-year-old boy who witnessed him kill the boy’s father.

We’ve all seen the chilling portrayal of contract killers in movies, but behind the scenes, some real-life hitmen have become infamous for their brutality and the staggering number of lives they’ve taken. From using everyday tools like chainsaws to weapons as discreet as cyanide, these hitmen left a trail of terror across the globe. Today, we take a closer look at some of the deadliest hitmen in history, with one even claiming the lives of 492 people.

The Iceman

Standing at 6 feet 5 inches, his real name was Richard Kuklinski. He was a notorious American hitman who killed more than 200 people over a span of 30 years. He used everything from a bow and arrow to chainsaws, and even cyanide nasal sprays, to kill his targets. He died in prison in 2006 at the age of 70.

The Animal

Joseph Barboza earned the name “The Animal” after he killed a man by biting his cheek during a nightclub brawl. He worked for Boston’s Patriarca crime family and murdered around 26 people. Barboza often used silenced guns and car bombs. He was killed in an encounter at the age of 43 in 1976.

The Superkiller

Alexander Solonik was a Russian hitman who killed around 40 people. A former Soviet soldier and martial arts expert, he could shoot with both hands. In 1994, he was caught by the police during a shootout, but he escaped from prison the following year. It is believed that in 1997, while in Greece, he was strangled to death by a fellow hitman.

Harry the Henchman

Active in America during the 1930s, a gang known as Murder Inc. carried out hundreds of contract killings for the mafia. It was reported that one of their hitmen, Harry Strauss, killed around 500 people. He was sentenced to death by electric chair in 1941 at the age of 31.

Brutal Brit

John Childs, known as “Brutal Brit,” was a British hitman active between 1974 and 1978. He reportedly killed six people, including a 10-year-old boy who saw him kill his father. He would burn his victims after killing them. Since 1979, he has been serving a life sentence.