Gene Parsons and Gram Parsons were not related. Gram was born either Cecil Ingram Connor or Ingram Cecil Connor, depending on which 'expert source' you choose. Here is some more from 'the net'...

"...Parsons was just doing his thing and everyone around him scrambled to keep up. Parsons called what he was doing "Cosmic American Music."

Parsons was born into wealth, comfort and unhappiness on November 5, 1946 in Winter Haven, Florida. His birth name was Cecil Ingram Connor. His mother, Avis Snively Connor, was the daughter of wealthy citrus exporters and his father, Cecil "Coondog" Connor Jr., a heroic World War II pilot. Young Gram became interested in music at as a child playing piano and listening to country music. When he was nine he went to see Elvis Presley open for Little Jimmy Dickens and became fascinated. He still practiced playing country music, but now he combined it with Elvis's sneer and rock-and-roll swagger. Soon after he was packed off to military school. His father committed suicide when Gram was twelve and grief stricken Gram became a discipline problem at school. He was sent home where his mother had remarried Robert Parsons who adopted Gram formally changing his name to Parsons in the process. Parsons started playing in high school bands, mostly pop and folk outfits and taking and sharing the drugs and alcohol his mother hoarded. His schoolwork continued to suffer but he still managed (probably with some finagling by his powerful family) to get accepted to Harvard. Shortly after he graduated high school his troubled mother died of acute alcohol poisoning. Scholastically, Gram fared no better in College than in high school but Boston was large enough that Gram was able to find talented musicians that would support his vision. He formed the International Submarine Band in 1965, his first country band.

Gram Parson's headed to first to New York in 1966 and then to Los Angeles in 1967. The International Submarine Band recorded an album, Safe at Home, for Lee Hazelwoods' label, LHI. The album immediately sank into obscurity but Parsons was able to make contacts in LA, including Chris Hillman of the Byrds. The following year David Crosby left the Byrds and Hillman asked Parsons to replace him. Parsons jumped at the chance and broke his contract with LHI, legend has it he walked into the LHI headquarters, smiled and said "I'm singing with the Byrds now, goodbye." LHI did not let him go so easily, and the Byrds had to tone down Parsons participation on Sweethearts of the Rodeo, even going so far as to strip his vocals from the record. Parsons left the Byrds soon after, due to his refusal to tour South Africa then in the midst of Apartheid. Chris Hillman soon followed and together they formed the Flying Burrito Brothers in 1968. Their first album, the Gilded Palace of Sin, was one of those legendary albums of rock and roll: few people bought it, but those that did became cult followers. Among them were the Rolling Stones who fell under Parsons spell. Their friendship was perhaps both the best and worst thing to happen to Parsons: they took him on tour and to their recording sessions, Keith Richards wrote the song 'Wild Horses' for Parsons, but they also got him heavier into drugs, a destructive habit that his trust fund made easily affordable.

In 1971 Gram Parsons decided to go solo. Chris Hillman introduced Parsons to Emmylou Harris and Parsons asked her to join his backing band, the Fallen Angels. In 1972 they recorded GP, his first solo album, which was well reviewed but not a hit. A small tour followed then a second album, Grievous Angel. Harris's vocals at this time were beginning to shine, and during a playback of Hickory Wind Parsons pointed out to her that she was going to be a star. He never saw his prophecy come true, though. Shortly after the recording session finished he left for the desert of Joshua Tree and spent weeks drinking and taking drugs. The binge ended with his death. He was 26 years old. Phil Kaufman, Parsons road manager, managed to intercept Parsons body when it was being taken to New Orleans for burial and drove it out to Joshua Tree instead. Kaufman and his friend Michael Martin doused the body with gasoline and set it on fire, citing an overheard wish Parsons had of being cremated. They were arrested weeks later and Parsons remains were again boxed up and sent to New Orleans. Grievous Angel was released the following January."

One of the police officers said the suspects would be charged with "Gram Theft - Parsons".