Sammi Lee was best friends with mum killed in explosion
15:30, 06 May 2026
Jo Shaw (L) and Sammi Lee were friends for 20 years(Image: Sammi Lee)
A best friend of Jo Shaw has paid an emotional tribute to someone who brought ‘light into the lives of everyone’ she encountered.
Ryan Kelly, 35-year-old Jo’s former partner, killed her and himself when he forced his way into an address in Frenchay in the early hours of May 3 before detonating an explosive.
Sammi Lee, a friend of Jo’s for two decades, said she was struggling to come to terms with losing someone who had been at her side ‘no matter what’.
“I don’t even know where to begin, because no words will ever feel enough for what I’ve lost, for what we’ve all lost,” Sammi said.
“For 20 years Jo was more than just my best friend, she was my person, my sister. She was there through every stage of my life, every laugh, every tear, every moment that mattered. She knew me in a way no one else ever could and I knew I could always count on her no matter what.”
Sammi was more than just one of Jo’s best friends, she is godmother to the five-year-old son she shared with Kelly, a child who has now lost both his parents. In turn, Jo had been present for the birth of Sammi’s first daughter.
“Jo wasn’t just part of my life, she was part of my family,” Sammi said.
“She was there when my first daughter Sienna was born, standing beside me in one of the most important moments of my life. That’s the kind of friend she was: always there, no matter what, sharing in my biggest moments and holding me up when I needed her most.
“Her family became my family too. They welcomed me with open arms and treated me like one of their own. This loss is not only heart-breaking for me, but for them as well—just such beautiful, kind people who did not deserve this pain.”
Jo and Sammi first met when they were 15, and the pair immediately became inseparable, growing up together in the Fishponds and Frenchay areas of Bristol. Sammi said the thing that struck her most about Jo was her caring nature, with Jo taking the time to care for Sammi’s sister after she was diagnosed with cancer.
“She lit up every room she walked into,” Sammi said.
“Her energy was so bright and colourful, and people were naturally drawn to her, she made friends wherever she went. She had the kind of heart that people don’t come across often; kind, loyal, funny, and selfless, even when life wasn’t easy.
“She brought light into my life and into the lives of everyone lucky enough to know her. She was truly irreplaceable. I’m struggling to comprehend how someone so full of love and kindness could be taken in such a cruel way.”
Avon & Somerset Police are still investigating the exact circumstances of Jo’s death, but it has been recorded as a homicide. Three other people, including a child, were injured in the horrific incident but were treated and released from hospital on the day it occurred.
The police force has referred itself to watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to “other domestic incidents (between the pair) being reported to us prior to Sunday.”
Friends of Ms Shaw have said Kelly had a long history of abusive behaviour towards her. The 41-year-old was also a convicted drug gang member who was sentenced to five years in prison in 2015.
As official investigations continue, those who knew and loved Jo are left to try to deal with the senselessness of her tragic death.
“It doesn’t make sense and it never will,” Sammi said.
“I will carry you with me always Jo. In the memories we made, in the things that make me laugh, in the moments I wish I could share with you.
“A piece of my heart will always belong to you. Thank you for being my best friend, my sister for 20 years. That is something I will treasure for the rest of my life.
“I love you. I miss you. And I will never forget you.”