A criminal complaint describes a Walmart purchase, a masked attack and discarded items recovered by police.
LA CROSSE, Wis. — Prosecutors have charged Ivan Aldair Canchola-Garcia after police said he stabbed his ex-girlfriend with a knife he bought hours earlier, leaving a La Crosse court case focused on intent and evidence.
Canchola-Garcia, 28, is accused of attempted first-degree intentional homicide in the May 15 stabbing of the mother of his 11-month-old daughter. The woman survived multiple stab wounds, and the baby was not injured. Police say the case includes a sequence of evidence from a Walmart, the victim’s home, a Kwik Trip convenience store and an arrest in Indiana. Canchola-Garcia was held on a $1 million bond as the case moved through La Crosse County.
The attempted homicide charge gives the case its legal frame. To prove it, prosecutors must show more than a stabbing. They must prove an intent to kill and an act toward carrying it out. The complaint’s reported facts point directly at that issue. Investigators say Canchola-Garcia bought a knife at Walmart hours before the attack, arrived at the victim’s home with a mask and gloves, stabbed her in areas that included the neck and later made an alleged statement that he had tried to kill her. Those allegations, if admitted and believed, could support the state’s intent argument.
The defense, in turn, will be able to test each piece of the state’s story. Attorneys may question whether the Walmart video clearly identifies Canchola-Garcia, whether license plate reader records are accurate and whether the knife recovered by police is the same one used in the attack. They may also challenge the alleged statement to a friend, including the wording, the context and the witness’s reliability. Canchola-Garcia has not been convicted. The allegations remain claims in a criminal case unless prosecutors prove them in court beyond a reasonable doubt.
The police timeline begins at about 11:22 p.m. May 15, when La Crosse officers were dispatched to assist first responders in the 1100 block of 16th Street South. Police found a victim with multiple stab wounds and had her taken to a local hospital. Public reports based on the complaint say she had wounds to her neck, armpit and shoulder blade. The woman’s name was not released. Reports said she was expected to survive, but officials have not given a detailed medical update. Police said the incident appeared isolated and later identified Canchola-Garcia as the suspect.
The domestic relationship between the accused and the victim is part of the charge history reported in the case. The woman is described as Canchola-Garcia’s former girlfriend and the mother of his infant daughter. The baby was in the woman’s arms when the stabbing happened, according to the complaint. The child was unharmed. Public accounts do not describe the former couple’s recent contact, any prior police reports between them or any custody dispute. Those unknowns limit what can be said about motive. The available record does show that police treated the attack as targeted, not random.
The alleged purchase of the knife is one of the most important facts because it occurred before the attack. Police say Walmart surveillance video showed Canchola-Garcia buying the blade. License plate readers also placed him at the store, according to the complaint. Those records may help prosecutors argue planning. They also give the defense a path to examine whether the state can prove timing, identity and connection to the later stabbing. Store video often comes with questions about camera angle, image quality, timestamps and who handled the footage before it reached investigators.
After the stabbing, police say the trail moved to a Kwik Trip. Investigators reviewed video and said it showed Canchola-Garcia discarding a knife, gloves and a mask. Officers recovered the items. Prosecutors may treat that as evidence that he tried to hide the attack. The defense may focus on chain of custody, forensic testing and whether the video is clear enough to support the claim. The public reports do not say whether DNA, fingerprints or blood testing has been completed on the items. They also do not say whether police recovered clothing or other evidence from the suspect.
The alleged admission to a friend is likely to receive close attention if the case advances. According to the complaint, the friend said Canchola-Garcia told them, “I did it. I did what I needed to do. I tried to kill her. I went for the neck.” The statement is brief, direct and damaging if accepted by a jury. But like all witness statements, it would need to be presented through testimony or other admissible evidence. Jurors would have to decide how much weight to give it. The public record does not identify the friend or explain the full circumstances of the conversation.
Police arrested Canchola-Garcia on May 16 in Whitestown, Indiana, after saying he had likely left La Crosse and traveled out of state. The arrest was made on outstanding Dane County, Wisconsin, warrants. La Crosse police said they worked with the La Crosse County District Attorney’s Office to seek the attempted homicide arrest warrant. The out-of-state arrest may matter for bond and risk arguments because prosecutors can point to travel after the attack. It also may require records from Indiana officers who located and detained him.
Bond was reported at $1 million, a figure that reflects the seriousness of the charge and the court’s concern about release conditions. The next court steps are expected to include review of the complaint, exchange of evidence and hearings on whether the case proceeds toward trial. Prosecutors may call officers, store employees, the friend, medical witnesses and others. The defense may seek records, video, forensic reports and witness statements before deciding how to respond. No final outcome has been reached.
The core facts now before the court are narrow but grave. A woman was stabbed several times while holding a baby. The baby was not hurt. Police say the accused was the child’s father and the victim’s former boyfriend. The remaining questions include motive, the strength of forensic evidence and whether the state can prove the intent required for attempted first-degree intentional homicide.
The next milestone is expected in court, where evidence from stores, police records and witnesses will determine how the charge moves forward. Canchola-Garcia remained jailed on a $1 million bond as La Crosse County prosecutors continued the case.
Author note: Last updated June 18, 2026.