A suspect in the brutal slayings of four University of Idaho students — crimes that have "shaken our community" — was arrested in Pennsylvania, authorities said Friday.

Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, a resident of Pullman, Washington, was apprehended in Albrightsville in northeastern Pennsylvania, about 2,500 miles from the Idaho campus, officials said.

He'll be charged with four counts of first-degree murder and burglary, for allegedly breaking into the Moscow, Idaho, home with the intent to commit a felony, authorities said.

DNA evidence played a key role in linking the murders to Kohberger, two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation told NBC News.

The shocking crimes have captivated the nation during these past seven weeks, generating about 19,000 tips from the public that police said were crucial to the probe.