More than 70 prosecutors have left since Kim Gardner took office in January 2017

ST. LOUIS — Another prosecutor is leaving St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s office.

Peter Bruntrager’s last day will be Friday. His family's firm, Clayton-based Bruntrager & Billings, confirmed he will be joining their ranks Monday.

Bruntrager has worked in the Circuit Attorney's Office since November 2015.

His departure puts the number of prosecutors to have left Gardner’s office at more than 75. She took office in January 2017.

"It’s the normal course of my career," Bruntrager said. "I always intended on spending a few years here and I stayed longer than I expected. I was getting my courtroom experience in general and it was just time for me to move on."

Gardner’s chief trial assistant Rachel Smith also will soon leave the office, where she had worked since 2001. Smith was Gardner’s fourth chief trial assistant.