There was a movie (1985, I think) called River's Edge, starring Keaneu
Reeves and Crispin Glover, about a dead-head who killed his
girlfriend.  The other friends went to see the dead body.  They stood
around staring at it, but none of them called the police.  The movie
deals with their alienation, moral vapidity, etc.

The movie was based on a true story, however, that took place near San Francisco.

Well, in short, I am curious as hell about this original case.

I am interested in the names of the principals in this case (the
murdered, the murderer).  Rolling Stone did a famous story about this
case a few years before the movie came out, and from what I
understand, it was this story that served as the basis for script.

When was that story published?  What issue, what was it called, etc.?

Is there any other information on the net available ABOUT THE ORIGINAL
CASE?  (I am not interested in the movie.)

Hello.

You're thinking of Anthony Jacques Broussard who murdered Marcy Conrad
in Milpitas, California, in 1981.


From the Washington Post:

""RIVER'S EDGE" is a five-star Twinkie feast for delinquents. There's
murder, dirty talk, misogyny, immorality and, why, even a little
gallows humor...
This brat-pack film noir is loosely based on the true story of Anthony
Jacques Broussard, a Milpitas, California, high schooler who murdered
girlfriend Marcy Conrad and bragged about it to buddies. No one
reported the death to the police for at least a day."
source: The Washington Post May 29, 1987, 
http://www.geocities.com/murder_stories4/marcy_conrad6.html

"Although the movie is a work of fiction, the plot was inspired by the
actual murder of Marcy Conrad, who was killed by her boyfriend Anthony
Jacques Broussard in Milpitas, California in 1981."
source: Internet Movie Database:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091860/trivia


Rolling Stone may or may not have done a story about the case, but it
doesn't appear that a Rolling Stone article played a significant role
in the development of the script.


The writer's story is detailed in another article...

"NEAL Jimenez, a University of California at Los Angeles film student,
was visiting friends in San Jose when he picked up the morning paper
one day in November 1981 and read about the murder of a Milpitas
teen-ager that shocked and fascinated him...
A year later, he wrote a script for a classroom project that was
inspired by several teen murder cases around the country, including
the one in Milpitas. The script came back from his teacher with a C+
and a lot of red ink...
The controversial film, called "River's Edge" and written by Jimenez,
opens in San Jose today."
source: San Jose Mercury News, May 22, 1987 
http://www.geocities.com/murder_stories4/marcy_conrad8.html


More articles about the case:

The Washington Post, "California Suburb Sorts Out Fear and Confusion
in Teen Slaying;
Fear and Confusion After a Teen's Murder" December 6, 1981, 
http://www.geocities.com/murder_stories4/marcy_conrad1.html

The New York Times
YOUTHS' SILENT ON MURDER VICTIM LEAVES A CALIFORNIA TOWN BAFFLED,
December 14, 1981,
http://www.geocities.com/murder_stories4/marcy_conrad2.html

More articles from the same site:
http://www.geocities.com/murder_stories4/marcy_conrad3.html
http://www.geocities.com/murder_stories4/marcy_conrad4.html
http://www.geocities.com/murder_stories4/marcy_conrad5.html
And a bit more recently.... SF Chronicle, 1996:
http://www.geocities.com/murder_stories4/marcy_conrad7.html

-----------
search strategy:
imdb.com, river's edge
"marcy conrad" "river's edge"

I hope this helps.

Fantastic job!  Pity about the Rolling Stone article:  I am nearly
certain it exists.

Are you sure that you're not confusing this with Rolling Stone's
article "Death of a Cheerleader" (7/18/85) about a different teen
murder near San Francisco?  That article was turned into a 1994 TV
movie called "A Friend To Die For."

Hmmm.  Likely not, though I can't say for sure.

You see, I remember actually seeing the article.  I remember because
in the article, there was a picture of the defendant and I was
surprised to note he was black, since everybody else involved in the
case was white.

But I saw this on microfiche.  There is a very slim possibility that
it may not have been Rolling Stone, but the article was definitely
about the case which inspired the later movie, "River's Edge."