Yesterday a fuller picture of the slain 41-year-old's life emerged as her close friend MP Paula Bennett, family and other friends paid tribute to her.
They spoke of her devotion to her children, her "fierce" intellect and her love of sports and travel.
The Herald on Sunday has learned that hours after Pert's body was found in the front yard of a Remuera home, police contacted Manson to advise him the mother of his children was dead.
A 24-year-old man from Mt Roskill has been charged with Pert's murder. He has name suppression until his next appearance in the High Court at the end of this month.
He is not believed to have known Pert.
Culum Manson (40) is a director of family business Mansons TCLM - one of New Zealand's biggest construction firms. The TCLM stands for founder Ted and his sons, Culum, Luke and Mac.
Manson did not return calls yesterday. Friends told the Herald on Sunday he wanted to protect the children, and that the family was working on details for the funeral, understood to be on Wednesday.
The family is one of the country's wealthiest. Last year's NBR Rich List estimated their wealth at $450 million. Mansons TCLM last year announced it was working on three big new Auckland office blocks, worth about $220 million.
It is the second murder investigation to affect the company. In 2010, Mansons' employee Brad Callaghan murdered his ex-partner Carmen Thomas, and police searched one of the company's building sites.
MP Paula Bennett had known Pert for 25 years and was a close friend of her and her family.
She spoke about Pert on behalf of the family. Pert is survived by her mother Janice Pert, father Kevin Pert, and brothers Paul, based in Whanganui, and Chris, a helicopter pilot based overseas.
"Jo was an absolutely devoted mum and always put her kids first before anything else. She was mother help in their class, involved in their sports and activities and her life revolved around their needs.
"She was a fiercely intelligent and driven woman. Jo was an avid sportswoman. She had a huge love for Robbie Williams, even going back stage at one of his concerts and then being too scared to actually talk to him.
"She was fun loving and she just had a great passion for life. The whole family was so proud of all her achievements."
Bennett said Pert's biggest achievement was her children.
"She was devoted utterly to those two children. She put them before anything else and was so committed to giving them the best possible future. We can't describe our sadness at this time and our focus is on supporting (them)."
Pert's family thanked police and emergency services and "the family that found Jo".
She was attacked on the street and ran into the front yard of a house to get help. The occupants found her about an hour later, collapsed on the lawn. They called for help but it was too late.
Bennett said Pert had a drive and passion for life.
"The way that woman could study and then raise her kids and be up until two or three in the morning then be up again to be up with them then be off again," she said. "It's just all so shocking."
Pert lived in a central Auckland apartment owned by her mother Janice. Over the weekend family members gathered there to grieve.
Pert's father lives in Taupo but travelled to Auckland on Friday to meet police after learning of his daughter's death the night before. The children had been on holiday with him.
Pert grew up in Whanganui and lived in Taupo before settling in Auckland. She travelled the world and spent nine years living in London before having her children.
A close friend told the Herald on Sunday that Pert and Manson were together about two years. They split when she was pregnant with her daughter.
She was studying towards a Health Science masters degree in traditional Chinese medicine but when she was in London Pert worked as an accountant. She made many friends there, including Kate Steele.
"Jo and I became friends about 13 years ago. Our time together mainly revolved around training. We would swim in the freezing Lido and spend ages in the showers afterwards just laughing as we warmed up again."
The pair were flatmates and shared "many a fun night out", attended church together and spent "hours on the couch chatting about God, life, love and dreams".
The lived together until Pert returned to New Zealand.
"Jo was the most amazingly loyal friend. She was someone who, when you had earned her friendship, she would do anything for you.
"She was passionate about a few key things in life - friendship, snowboarding and exercise in general and after having her kids, being a mum. She dreamed of being a mum right from our early days of friendship. It was the one thing she knew she'd be really good at."
Steele was struggling to come to terms with Pert's death.
"I can still hear her cheeky laugh, hear her encouraging words and see her beautiful smile. We will all miss her dearly."
Brad Thatcher said Pert was "such a loving girl who studied so hard to help others."
"[This is]) absolutely heartbreaking news," he said. "Jo, you were one of the most motivated, intelligent and caring people I know it seems very unfair for such a successful person who gave so much back to be taken so cruelly."
A woman who worked for Pert in Auckland also spoke to the Herald on Sunday. "I used to clean for Jo and her two adorable children. She was a brilliant mum and always put her children first," she said.
"It's absolutely shocking and heartbreaking to hear what had happened to her. My heart goes out to her two beautiful children and her heartbroken family."
Pert had also travelled around Australia and spent time in Canada as a teenager on an exchange programme. She lived in Digby, Nova Scotia with Rene and Karen LeBlanc and their daughters.
"We are at a loss for words at this time," the family said in an email.
"The loss of Jo has impacted so many here in Canada. Her love for life, her zest for learning, her unwavering love for her children will never be forgotten.
"We are devastated to hear of such sad news but will remember the wonderful time she spent with us and will forever hold her in our hearts."
Pert's uncle Patrick Pert described her as an adventurous traveller who cheated death in a British train crash. "[It was] years ago. A train derailed in England, there were quite a few deaths.
"I think she had to be cut out of the wreckage but if she was injured it would've been pretty minor. She told the family about it," he said.
