Woman killed in Bristol house explosion ‘died from blast injuries’

A woman who was killed in an explosion at her home died from ‘penetrating fragmentation blast injuries’, an inquest heard.

Jo Shaw, 35, was killed in the blast in Sterncourt Road in Bristol on May 3, in which her former partner, Ryan Kelly, 41, suffered fatal injuries.

Avon and Somerset Police are treating the cause of the explosion as deliberate, and recorded Ms Shaw’s death as a homicide.

Three other people, including a child, sustained minor injuries. after the early morning blast.

An inquest into her death was opened by assistant Avon coroner Debbie Rookes during a brief hearing at Avon Coroner’s Court in Flax Bourton.

Coroner’s officer Abigail Carey told the hearing Ms Shaw was pronounced dead at home by paramedics at 7am.

‘A short form post-mortem report from Dr Russell Delaney gives a proposed cause of death as penetrating fragmentation blast injury to the chest and pelvis,’ she said.

The court heard Ms Shaw, who was single and worked as a personal assistant, was formally identified by her family.

Ms Rookes formally adjourned proceedings and requested further reports from a general practitioner, the police, ambulance service and pathologist.

She also requested further background information from Ms Shaw’s family, who were not present at the hearing.

The coroner adjourned the hearing for August 11, 2026, at Avon Coroner’s Court.

Ms Shaw’s family said in a tribute that she ‘brought warmth, kindness, and strength into the lives of countless people.’

They added: ‘Her loving presence will be missed more than words can ever express, but her memory will forever remain in our hearts.

‘Her child has suffered the unimaginable loss of their mummy in this tragedy. Joanne’s love for her child was boundless and the center of her world. She was a devoted and loving mother.’

‘She will always be remembered not for the violence inflicted upon her, but for her bravery, her protective instinct, and the ultimate sacrifice she made for others.’

Ms Shaw, known as Jo, grew up in the Stapleton area of Bristol, where her family said she was well-known for her ‘bubbly, friendly personality’.

They said she loved meeting new people, listening to their stories, sharing advice and forming connections resulting in ‘eternal friendships’.

She was the ‘life and soul not only of the party, but our lives’, they added.

Police previously said a call was received from a person inside the house at 6.17am reporting a domestic-related incident, saying a man they knew had forced entry to the house.

The caller remained on the line while officers were dispatched to the house, and at 6.30am the caller told police the man was believed to have an explosive device.

About two minutes later, there was an explosion at the property, in which Ms Shaw and her former partner died.

Residents were evacuated from neighboring properties as a precaution, and searches were carried out by the Army to ensure the area was safe.

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