In a tearful revelation that has deepened the anguish surrounding one of Britain’s most shocking domestic killings, the family of Joanne “Jo” Shaw has spoken out about the 35-year-old hero mum’s growing dread in the days before her violent ex-partner Ryan Kelly hunted her down and detonated a hand grenade in a murderous explosion that claimed both their lives.

“She knew he would come for her,” a devastated relative confided, voice breaking with emotion. Joanne had repeatedly told loved ones she feared Ryan would never let her go peacefully — yet her final thoughts weren’t for her own safety. They were laser-focused on one thing only: making sure her young son got out alive.

The gut-wrenching account has emerged as Bristol mourns the young mother who became a hero in her dying moments, sacrificing everything to shield her child from the blast that tore through the family home on Sterncourt Road in Frenchay in the early hours of Sunday, May 3.

Joanne Shaw had already shown extraordinary courage by leaving her abusive ex, Ryan Kelly, 41, and moving back in with her family for protection. She had called police multiple times over his threatening and harassing behaviour. But as friends and relatives now reveal, deep down she lived with the terrifying certainty that one day he would track her down — and that when he did, he would stop at nothing.

That day came with horrifying suddenness. At around 6:17 a.m., a desperate 999 call came from inside the terraced house reporting a domestic disturbance. Kelly had forced his way in, armed with a live hand grenade. What followed was a nightmarish 15-minute confrontation. Sensing the deadly escalation, Joanne acted with split-second maternal instinct. She urgently told her young son to go outside and play on the trampoline in the back garden — getting him clear of the lethal blast radius.

Seconds later, at approximately 6:32 a.m., the grenade detonated with devastating force. Joanne and Kelly both died at the scene. Three other family members, including another child, suffered injuries but survived. The explosion was so powerful it shook neighbouring homes, damaged properties, and left the quiet suburban street scarred by violence most Britons only see in war zones.

Family members, speaking through tears in emotional interviews, described Joanne’s quiet but growing fear in the weeks leading up to the tragedy. “She knew Ryan wouldn’t just let her walk away,” one close relative said. “She had tried so hard to build a safe life for her boy, but she always had this feeling he would come for her. She told us more than once that if anything happened, the most important thing was making sure her son was safe. That’s all she cared about in the end.”

The words paint a haunting picture of a woman trapped in the shadow of coercive control, even after she found the strength to leave. Joanne had returned to her parents’ home on Sterncourt Road precisely to escape Kelly’s alleged volatility. She wanted peace. She wanted normality for her child. Instead, she lived with the constant dread that her determined ex would one day appear — and when he did, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Ryan Kelly was no ordinary jealous ex. The 41-year-old had a documented criminal past as a “foot soldier” in a major “Breaking Bad”-style cocaine supply gang in the Bristol area. Jailed for five years in 2015, he brought the lethal edge of the underworld into a personal vendetta. How he obtained a military-style hand grenade remains one of the most disturbing unanswered questions as the investigation continues.

Neighbours have recounted the horror in raw, emotional detail. One local who spoke to the man who made the 999 call described hearing Joanne desperately trying to de-escalate before the boom. Another resident recalled the child safely jumping on the trampoline as emergency services raced toward the scene. Joanne’s best friend of more than 20 years, Sammi Lee, publicly declared her a hero: “Jo is a hero. When Ryan broke into the house she got her son out of the way — she got him out of the house and onto the trampoline so he was safe.”

That final act of love has defined Joanne’s legacy. In the face of pure terror, she chose her child’s survival over her own. Family members say this selflessness was typical of the warm, funny, loyal mother they adored. Tributes have poured in from friends who remember a woman always present through every stage of life — kind, supportive, full of laughter even when times were tough.

“She was an amazing friend and a selfless mum,” one close companion said. Photos now circulating show a vibrant young woman smiling with her son — images that stand in cruel contrast to the violence that stole her away.

The tragedy has ignited fury and calls for accountability across Bristol and beyond. Why, despite Joanne’s repeated calls to police about Kelly’s behaviour, was he still able to reach her with such a deadly weapon? Domestic abuse campaigners are demanding a full independent review, highlighting once again that the most dangerous time for victims is often when they try to leave. Separation can trigger the most extreme violence from controlling partners who feel they are losing ownership.

Avon and Somerset Police are treating Joanne’s death as homicide. Officers arrived armed and ready after the initial call, but the blast happened before they could intervene. Superintendent Matt Ebbs confirmed the force is investigating every aspect, including prior contacts with Kelly and how the explosive device was obtained. The scene on Sterncourt Road remained heavily cordoned for days as forensic teams and explosives experts worked through the devastation.

For the survivors, the pain is beyond measure. The young boy saved by his mother’s quick thinking now faces life without her. Extended family members must pick up the pieces while grieving and caring for the injured. The family home — meant to be a sanctuary — is now forever linked to unimaginable loss.

Kelly’s death in the explosion means he will never stand trial, robbing Joanne’s loved ones of full public justice. His criminal background has only intensified questions about systemic failures: how dangerous individuals slip through cracks, how protective measures for abuse victims can fall tragically short, and how lethal weapons reach the hands of men with histories of violence.

As floral tributes, teddy bears, and heartfelt messages pile up near the blast site, Bristol’s tight-knit community is processing shock, sorrow, and anger. Neighbours who once enjoyed peaceful days now speak in hushed tones about the morning the street was rocked by an explosion. One local carpenter summed up the disbelief: a man turning up with a grenade on the doorstep of his ex’s family home.

Joanne Shaw’s story is being shared not just as tragedy, but as a powerful testament to maternal love. Even while living with the knowledge that her ex might come for her, she focused entirely on her son’s safety. In her final moments, she delivered on that promise.

Her family’s tearful words — “She knew he would come for her” — have become a rallying cry. They expose the silent terror many domestic abuse survivors endure and the desperate hope that one day the system will protect them before it’s too late.

As the investigation deepens and calls for change grow louder, one image endures above all others: a devoted young mum urgently telling her little boy to go play safely on the trampoline — her last words a shield of love against the deadly blast that followed.

Joanne didn’t just die trying to escape violence. She died ensuring her child would live. In the face of the terror she had long feared, her courage shone brightest. A hero mum taken too soon, but whose final act of selfless love will never be forgotten.

The streets of Frenchay may one day return to quiet, but the memory of Joanne Shaw — and the warning her death carries — will echo for years to come.