For the first time, an image has emerged of a young mother tragically killed by her ex-boyfriend, who stormed into her home and ended their lives with what has been described as a ‘grenade’.
Joanne Shaw, aged 35, lost her life on Sunday in her Bristol residence when Ryan Kelly, 41, set off an explosive device.
Prior to the blast, armed police were en route to the location on Sterncourt Road, responding to a 999 emergency call about a ‘domestic-related’ situation, received just 13 minutes before the incident.
It appears that the young mother had recently relocated to the terraced home in an effort to distance herself from Mr. Kelly.
Three additional individuals, believed to be her son and two relatives, sustained injuries during the ‘suspicious’ blast. They were hospitalized for minor wounds but have since been released.
Given previous reports of domestic incidents, Avon and Somerset Police have referred the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct for mandatory review.
The force this afternoon gave more details about the moments leading up to the blast and said someone inside the property, not Miss Shaw, had called police at 6.17am to report a ‘domestic-related incident’.
At 6.30am, police were told a man was believed to have an explosive device and two minutes later an explosion was heard.
Superintendent Matt Ebbs said: ‘We know people will be shocked and upset to learn of the horrendous events that happened on Sunday morning.
‘Jo’s death has been officially recorded as a homicide based on the information known to us at this time. We are not looking for anyone else in connection with her death.
Joanne Shaw, 35, was murdered by her ex-partner Ryan Kelly when he forced his way into her home in Bristol and killed them both by detonating an explosive device
Mr Kelly (pictured), 41, has been named by police as the man who died in the blast on Sunday
Officers continue to gather evidence from the address in an investigation which has been described as ‘complex’ and ‘sensitive’ — May 4, 2026
‘We know everyone’s thoughts and sympathies will be with her devastated family. Specially trained officers are providing them with updates and support.
Miss Shaw is said to have worked at a tanning salon. Her LinkedIn profile shows she was previously an assistant manager at workspace hire firm BE Offices.
The Daily Mail can reveal Mr Kelly was jailed for five years in 2015 after admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine as part of a ‘Breaking Bad’ drugs gang.
A tribute online described Miss Shaw as an ‘amazing friend’ and added that ‘I can’t believe you was [sic] taken from us’.
Forensic officers continued to gather evidence at her home yesterday, where the front window could be seen boarded up.
Shattered glass can also be seen on the garden decking in front of a boarded-up rear door.
Meanwhile, a poster for a gardening firm, which the Daily Mail understands is owned by Miss Shaw’s brother, was taped to a window.
Today, the twisted frame of a smashed window is propped up against the wall, and officers are standing outside a cordon in front of the home.
Miss Shaw’s uncle, John Shaw, told the Daily Mail: ‘My younger brother Anthony rang me to tell me that she’d been killed and that her ex had let a grenade off in the house.
‘I couldn’t believe what I was hearing and am still struggling to make sense of all this. My brother was hardly able to speak, he was crying down the phone.
‘We called my niece Joey. She was a wonderful woman and a great mother.
‘I don’t understand why anybody would want to harm her in any way. The man who did this is the scum of the earth and it’s a good job he died because otherwise I’d have killed him myself.’
Mr Shaw, 76, revealed that Mr Kelly had previously served in the Army.
He said: ‘I’m still trying to understand where her ex got the grenade from and what type of grenade it was. But my brother wasn’t able to tell me anything about this because he was so devastated.’
A neighbour in Sterncourt Road said he believed mother-of-one Miss Shaw had been living with her young son at her parent’s address for up to three years, since separating from Mr Kelly.
He said he had heard rumours Mr Kelly had been harassing her.
A mugshot of Kelly in 2015. He was jailed for five years after admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine as part of a ‘ Breaking Bad’ drugs gang
‘I heard a loud bang first thing on Sunday morning and assumed it was a gas explosion of some sort’, the neighbour added.
‘A neighbour of mine said he saw an ambulance crew giving CPR to two people outside in the street shortly afterwards.
‘It’s the little boy I feel so desperately sorry for. It’s devastating to know that he’ll grow up without his mother. It’s just a horrible loss for the family.’
Other residents said there had been several incidents over the last few weeks when shouting could be heard from the house.
One woman said: ‘I don’t know who was arguing but there were occasions when a man’s voice was heard shouting at a woman.
‘The police had been called on a couple of occasions but then it seemed to calm down.
‘No one around here knew what it was all about.
‘But just recently the rows started again. It is such a quiet area around here that any shouting carries.
‘You’ve got the river and a nature reserve behind that house and so there’s nothing to drown out the noise.’
Mr Kelly’s parents and brother were too upset to comment but a member of the extended family told the Mail she had heard he had ‘taken his own life’ – although she was not told that he had died in the explosion.
The relative, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘I had a telephone call from another family member to say that Ryan had died.
‘She told me that he had taken his own life and I was really shocked.
‘Even though it had been years since I had seen him – it was probably when he was only a child – I still couldn’t believe he was dead.
‘And to now hear that he might have died in that explosion is quite shocking.’
Other relatives of Mr Kelly were too upset to talk about the incident.
But a childhood friend told how he had been ‘partying with him in Bristol just a few weeks ago’.
The man added: ‘He and Joanne weren’t together anymore. They split up a while back but I never met her. Last time I saw him we were enjoying a night out in a nightclub.
The twisted frame of a smashed window is seen propped up against the wall of the home — May 5, 2026
‘He said he was going away somewhere to get his head straight but didn’t go into any further detail.’
A neighbour in Sterncourt Road said he believed mother-of-one Miss Shaw had been living with her young son at her parent’s address for up to three years, since separating from Mr Kelly.
He said he had heard rumours Mr Kelly had been harassing her.
‘I heard a loud bang first thing on Sunday morning and assumed it was a gas explosion of some sort’, the neighbour added.
‘A neighbour of mine said he saw an ambulance crew giving CPR to two people outside in the street shortly afterwards.
‘It’s the little boy I feel so desperately sorry for. It’s devastating to know that he’ll grow up without his mother. It’s just a horrible loss for the family.’
Other residents said there had been several incidents over the last few weeks when shouting could be heard from the house.
One woman said: ‘I don’t know who was arguing but there were occasions when a man’s voice was heard shouting at a woman.
‘The police had been called on a couple of occasions but then it seemed to calm down.
‘No one around here knew what it was all about.
‘But just recently the rows started again. It is such a quiet area around here that any shouting carries.
‘You’ve got the river and a nature reserve behind that house and so there’s nothing to drown out the noise.’
Mr Kelly’s parents and brother were too upset to comment but a member of the extended family told the Mail she had heard he had ‘taken his own life’ – although she was not told that he had died in the explosion.
The relative, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘I had a telephone call from another family member to say that Ryan had died.
‘She told me that he had taken his own life and I was really shocked.
‘Even though it had been years since I had seen him – it was probably when he was only a child – I still couldn’t believe he was dead.
‘And to now hear that he might have died in that explosion is quite shocking.’
Other relatives of Mr Kelly were too upset to talk about the incident.
But a childhood friend told how he had been ‘partying with him in Bristol just a few weeks ago’.
The man added: ‘He and Joanne weren’t together anymore. They split up a while back but I never met her. Last time I saw him we were enjoying a night out in a nightclub.
‘He said he was going away somewhere to get his head straight but didn’t go into any further detail.’
According to her social media, Ms Shaw had worked as a manager for a serviced office company and previously attended the private Collegiate School in the Stapleton area of Bristol, where senior school fees currently start at £7,570 per term.
The owner of a local corner shop called The Frome Valley Local Store said: ‘I knew Joanne well. She was just a lovely person – always positive and always chatty when she came in.
‘She was part of the community here so lots of people knew her. I’m still in shock over what’s happened. I don’t know the details but it’s just so sad.’
The owner of a local corner shop called The Frome Valley Local Store said: ‘I knew Joanne well. She was just a lovely person – always positive and always chatty when she came in.
‘She was part of the community here so lots of people knew her. I’m still in shock over what’s happened. I don’t know the details but it’s just so sad.’
The manager of a local corner shop who had known Miss Shaw for nearly a decade described her as a ‘truly lovely person’.
Trifonova told the BBC she had ‘always brought positive energy’ and added: ‘We got to know her as more than just a customer – she felt like part of our community.
‘Our focus is on remembering her and supporting those who knew and loved her. We would like to send our heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.’
Avon and Somerset Police moved quickly on Sunday to rule out a terrorism link and said detectives were not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident ‘at this stage’.
The force has since described the case as ‘a complex and sensitive investigation’.
Officers also searched an address linked to Mr Kelly three miles away in Speedwell where he lived with his mother.
Companies House documents linked to that address show Mr Kelly was a director of Vansdam, a used car sales firm.
His two previous failed business ventures – men’s outwear firm Ballinderry Clothing, and car rental company Aston Hire – were dissolved in 2019 and 2023.
Mr Kelly’s brother declined to comment when approached by the Daily Mail, but a number of tributes have been posted online to him.
A video from one friend shows him drinking beer straight from a pub’s tap, while another commented: ‘I’m absolutely gutted about the sad news. I was only out with you few weeks ago for a good catch up.’
Mr Kelly was jailed in 2015 in a case that was likened to the US TV show Breaking Bad, where high school chemistry teacher Walter White starts making crystal meth to raise money after he is diagnosed with lung cancer.
In this case, cancer-stricken mastermind George Rogers, 78, ran the plot from prison despite his illness and recruited a self-taught chemist to set up a lab and make the highly addictive drug crystal meth.
But unlike the fictional version, the real-life plot stopped before they could flood the south west of England with drugs after undercover police bugged their cars.
Following the explosion in Bristol, a bomb disposal unit was deployed and specialist searches were carried out by the British Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal. The area was deemed safe by Sunday evening.
Neighbour Wayne Smith, 58, told The Sun that a man had ‘turned up at her house with a grenade and detonated it on the doorstep and killed the pair of them’.
He added: ‘At first when I heard the boom I thought it was a gas explosion or even a huge car crash. I could feel the whole house shake.’
Superintendent Matt Ebbs told reporters in a press conference on Sunday afternoon: ‘At about 6.17am we received a call to attend a domestic-related incident at a residential address in Sterncourt Road.
‘Officers were sent to the scene but shortly before they arrived, at just after 6.30am, there was an explosion inside the property.
‘A woman and a man have died at the address and we’re treating the explosion as suspicious.
‘Their families have been updated and are being supported by specially trained officers, and our thoughts are very much with them.
‘Three people, a man, a woman and a child, were taken to hospital to be treated for minor injuries.’
Around 70 people were evacuated from their homes and taken to the nearby Snuff Mill Harvester pub, which was used as a makeshift rest centre.
