California man sentenced to life for murder-for-hire of Scottsdale barber

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 26 Oct, 20:02 · Archive

Robert Celifie was sentenced to life in prison for orchestrating the murder of mobile barber Ilya Shimonov in Scottsdale in January 2022.

Robert Celifie, a California man, has been sentenced to life in prison for orchestrating the murder-for-hire of Ilya Shimonov, known as 'Mike the Barber'. Shimonov was a mobile barber who worked out of a converted school bus. On 3 January 2022, he was shot and killed in the parking lot of a Scottsdale hotel after finishing a haircut.

Celifie paid another man, Chaze Cable, to carry out the murder. Celifie supplied the car and gun Cable used, gave Cable photographs of Shimonov, and instructed him on the time and place of the killing and what to do afterward, including stealing Shimonov's phone. After the killing, the stolen phone was traced to Las Vegas and then Los Angeles.

The investigation involved 48 search warrants across five states, surveillance video from dozens of locations and terabytes of data. Cable was tried in 2025, found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy and burglary, and received a life sentence. Celifie was found guilty of the same charges in August and also received life imprisonment.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said: 'This defendant may not have been the one who pulled the trigger, but through his actions he condemned this victim to death just the same.'

How it is being reported

• California man sentenced in murder-for-hire scheme of mobile barber in ScottsdaleA California man learned his fate for orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot that killed a mobile barber in Scottsdale nearly four years ago.KOLD · 26 Oct, 17:56
• California man sentenced in murder-for-hire scheme of mobile barber in ScottsdaleA California man learned his fate for orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot that killed a mobile barber in Scottsdale nearly four years ago.Azfamily · 26 Oct, 17:56

In this story: Robert Celifie · Ilya Shimonov · Chaze Cable · Scottsdale · California · Maricopa County Attorney

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem